As as much as i hate to admit it i have rats coming in from both my messy neighbours gardens into mine and its getting worse.
I am not interested in blame but my garden is in immaculate condition and i am certain they have not been attracted by mine.
I seem to be the one to see them due to a manicured lawn compared to the jungles either side.
Who can i contact to get rid of them, preferably free.

Originally posted by Cycleracer

Who can i contact to get rid of them, preferably free.

Erm, your neighbours? Do they have kids? It would be good to play on the health issues and frighten them into acting.

However, it is more likely a source of food that has attracted the rats, rather than an overgrown garden.

I would have thought the environmental health people at the Council - check the phone book out.

Don't rely on a cat doing the job - years ago one of mine took a rat on and it was a vet's appointment afterwards for a VERY nasty abcess.

As to origins - you're never more than about 10 feet from a rat, I believe. They're attracted in by food remains, food put out for pets, etc. First step is to clean up anything like that from around your garden and get your neighbours to do the same. Also check out sheds and greenhouses for anything that they might eat.

Joe

Bird feeding is an odds-on culprit. My father-in-law has a tidy garden and by feeding the birds, using bird feeders, he attracts some interesting wildlife including foxes, squirrels and sadly the odd rat. I doubt an unkempt garden is the cause, unless of course there is a regular food source in there.

We're getting them too - ever since they started working in the park. We've reported it to the council, they've been and put down poison on our garden and most of the neighbours except one. He refused to allow them and so it continues, we watch them leg it up and down his garden. He's a bird feeder too - so we all have to suffer and there is nothing the council can do as its a private house.

Actually, I can't say I blame anyone for not wanting rat poison down in their garden. Whilst not being a toxcologist, I'd doubt that anything that can kill a rat is harmless to cats and other mammals.

As you say, the problems started when the council started working in the park, so perhaps they should have taken some steps to nobble the vermin 'at source'.

I know some authorities will supply 'alternate' methods of dealing with rats such as traps or even shooting. Will Sheffield do that?

Joe

poisoning rats is very cruel and is not good for other animals there is other ways of getting rid of them

Yes, perhaps you might want to forward the Pied Pipers number on to the author. ;)